Ernests Gulbis totally annihilated Youzhny on Tuesday afternoon, blasting the higher ranked Russian off the court with huge serving and brutal hitting from the baseline. Youzhny was looking at his coach early, as if to tell Boris Sobkin, this guy is too good today, there’s just nothing I can do. Gulbis looked so devastatingly strong that the thought entered my mind that if he can somehow continue to play like this, he will take out Nadal and could even go on and perhaps win the event. Gulbis’ performance yesterday was 2000 Safin-like.
I saw a guy walking around with a light blue t-shirt that said: “I Love Andy Roddick.” I asked the fella why, he responded, “Because he’s the best. His serve is the best.” Should have asked where he got the shirt because it didn’t look custom made cheap.
Saw Judy Murray wandering around the outer courts, she was between Starace-Berrer and Date Krumm-Soler Espinosa. Guess Momma Murray is a tennis fan.
Donald DY Young told me his worst moment in tennis was losing 14 ATP matches in a row. His best was the SF at DC and winning his junior slams. He also admitted, interestingly, that during the rough times he would think about what other people would be thinking about him losing: “When (success) doesn’t happen, you’re really disappointed, more so because you want to win yourself. Then you start to think about what are people thinking when you’re playing, you know, and that’s definitely not the way to go about it.” It was surprising to hear a player make such a candid admission about his lapse of focus on the court. But DY looked very strong yesterday in dismantling 156th ranked Lukas Lacko. Young says his next goal is to break the top 50 and then take it from there. He’s at #85 now. By the way, his mom and coach was an observer at the press conference after the match.
Mardy Fish had a reality check moment a few years ago here when he lost a five-setter to Robredo. Fish choked that match and after at the press conference a reporter named Lloyd Carroll, not to insult Fish, basically asked him about being a “journeyman” on the Tour. Fish seemed hurt by the comment which wasn’t meant to be, but was taken by Fish as a slap to his face. I was there that day to see that exchange between Carroll and Fish and ever since then, as Fish as turned his career around and risen up the rankings, I have half-jokingly mentioned this moment as the turning point of Fish’s career. Lloyd asked Fish about it on Monday and Fish indeed remembered Carroll and his “journeyman” comment and also admitted that it was an unlikely source of inspiration. Carroll jokingly said he felt proud to be a small part of Fish’s remarkable rise and Fish smilingly agreed, “As you should.” It was classic stuff.
Caro Wozniacki is happy not to be barraged with the constant #1 without any grand slam titles questions and frankly it’s a relief that they don’t come as much as they used to from reporters. She said she hadn’t gotten any questions for three or four weeks about #1. About Mary Jo Fernandez saying Caro needs to develop a big shot, a more aggressive shot to beat Serena, Venus, Caro responded: “They can say what they want. I’m the type of player I am. I’ve won a lot of tournaments. I’m #1 in the world and of course I can still improve. There are a lot of things to my game I can still improve but everyone can. You know, I’m on the right track. I just go out there and play the way I do and hopefully that’s good enough.”
Dimitry Tursnunov blew a two-set lead and had to battle all the way to a fifth set tiebreak with Steve Darcis 67 46 75 61 76. In the tiebreak, Tursunov went down 0-7 to the 102-ranked Belgian.
My friend the Chinese reporter Michael Wan told me at 2-4 in the first set that Li Na would lose to Simona Halep. He knew. Li Na lost 26 57 and after the match said she played like “shit.”
I did Biofiles with Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina, two classics, so keep on the lookout for them in the future.
Also got a memory from Jan-Michael Gambill about Marcelo Rios which I hope I can squeeze into the final manuscript of the book which should be ready next week. Jan Mike said Rios would stare down other players in the player’s lounge. Gambill said he stared him back and Rios smiled. Gambill is here because he’s coaching Coco Vandeweghe, who defeated WTA #55 Alberta Brianti of Italy. Coco is ranked at 113.
Gulbis can win the U.S. Open if...
Michael · August 31, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Vesnina lost (to Rus if I’m remembering correctly) and she signed a kids autograph. I always note that because I think it’s revealing.
I saw all of Gulbis and thought u would be there. He’s always had the game to win majors. Remember around 2008 maybe when he played Roddick in round two. A lot of people including myself were picking Gulbis and Roddick heard abou people thinking he would lose and he was insulted because Gulbis was maybe 50-50 year to date. Because e had more game than roddick even then. He blew roddick off the court for -1/2 sets and then went away. But you knew if the day came when he could concentrate match in and match out he had a complete game. He looked mighty focused yesterday. And you’re right — wasn’t a darn thing the 16 seed could do against it.
Gans · August 31, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Scoop,
I couldn’t agree more. You remember my article on Gulbis?
I echo your feelings. It would be great to see someone outside of top 10 to use their full potential to take down the top guns and win a slam.
It was so sad to see Golubev choke away all three sets and the match against Nadal yesterday. He was playing great up until he earned a break and then he got tight. On the other hand Nadal did nothing but wait for the hurricane to pass away. He ‘Murrayed’ him the entire match and won it ugly.
Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Vesnina is a sweetheart. So nice, and smart, she gave one of the best Biofiles in years. Very interesting and thoughful even after a tough loss. Wait till you hear the story about the monkey taking Vania King’s banana )
Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Gosh Gulbis is an awesome unstoppable force when he is in the right mindset. Truly an extraordinary player. He was very interesting at his conference, Dan will write about it later. Poor Golubev, Nadal was ready to be knocked out last night, he was on the ropes dazed but he was let off the hook. Going to watch Gulbis rd 2 with big interest.
Gans · August 31, 2011 at 5:06 pm
Dan and Scoop:
I posted this in the original thread where you had asked for our predictions. [Scoop, couldn’t see what your predictions were!? May be I missed?]
While the Isner-Bagdhatis match hasn’t happened yet (scheduled for today @ 5PM- about 4 hours from now) I went through everyone’s predictions.
So far Mitch and I are the only two to get 4/4. Everyone else is either 3 or 2. If Isner wins, then Mitch and I would have scored 5/5 right.
When I compared the sets between myself and Mitch, I win because I had predicted that Monfils would win in 3 and Stepanek in 4, which came closer to the results! Looks like I might win this! Hey!!!
Andrew Miller · September 1, 2011 at 1:06 am
Nadal pulled a Nadal vs. Golubev in my opinion – he did stuff that some players could do and other stuff that only Nadal can do. Example of the “could do”: Nadal began serving better and putting some fierce pace on the right spots of the court. Example of the “only Nadal can do this” – running down an amazing Golubev shot (a winner against most players in the top 50) and painting the deep end of the court with a winner. Nadal has guts and he did it all in three sets.
Scoop really what a classic from the Fish press conference. That is pretty brilliant – a journalist calls Fish basically a journeyman to his face, and Fish, reflecting on it, rebels to create the two best years of his career – 2010 and 2011.
Unlike some players, Fish didn’t see his Silver Medal at the 04 olympics as the end of his career. He kept finding ways to improve and dig out. He has titles on all surfaces now (I think Querrey also has titles on all surfaces) and he has the experience of rescuing the U.S. Davis Cup in Colombia (winning three matches). We talk about comebacks in U.S. tennis – Agassi, Bogomolov, Blake from injury, Roddick from previous slumps. Fish may not have that dramatic a story (not as dramatic as Agassi or Blake with the injury), but you got to admit: Fish’s story is a good one.
Dan Markowitz · September 1, 2011 at 3:00 am
Gans,
I’ll look through the numbers. If you win, I’ll send you a Break Point book if you provide me your address.
Congratulations,
Dan
Gans · September 1, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Hi Dan,
Hope you had a chance to confirm! I was doubly happy when Isner won yesterday especially in four sets!!
I will email my mailing address to Scoop. Don’t know if it’s the id you both share, but I am in touch with him.
Thanks and I am excited to read your book!